My understanding of the "Butch leaving" thing is that he was having some mental health issues that came to a head just prior to the 2008 tour and caused some marital problems. He moved out west for a while, got his shit together, and has been back in Virginia now for several years. The band helped out his wife/kids financially when they were all dealing with it, and there has never been any bad blood between the band and Butch.

My understanding of the "Butch leaving" thing is that he was having some mental health issues that came to a head just prior to the 2008 tour and caused some marital problems. He moved out west for a while, got his shit together, and has been back in Virginia now for several years. The band helped out his wife/kids financially when they were all dealing with it, and there has never been any bad blood between the band and Butch.

Idk if by West you mean Michigan () but I do know he was been spotted numerous times around West Michigan, in Grand Haven after he left the band.

My understanding of the "Butch leaving" thing is that he was having some mental health issues that came to a head just prior to the 2008 tour and caused some marital problems. He moved out west for a while, got his shit together, and has been back in Virginia now for several years. The band helped out his wife/kids financially when they were all dealing with it, and there has never been any bad blood between the band and Butch.

Interesting. That certainly is different from the rumors about him banging groupies all the time.

Hope it's back on the DMB schedule next summer. But I fear Alpine's future is very much in doubt. We'll see.

While Reens wouldn’t get into specifics, he did mention Live Nation has reached out both to acts that have made Alpine Valley a regular stop in the past as well as newcomers. “It’s one of those things that is kind of fluid. We don’t just go to a handful of acts and try to have them come play that building. We go out to a number of artists, some who have played there in the past. As we find artists that are available, then really we enter into discussions for them in the availability of venues,” Reens added. “It’s dependent on whether the artists make the decision of when and where they’re going to be on the road.”

Live Nation hopes to elaborate on further plans for the future of the venue “by the end of this year or early 2018” as per The Gazette. Though the venue didn’t host any concerts in 2017, Live Nation has been tending to repairs and has been working on improvements to Alpine Valley. A good sign for potential shows next year comes from Michael Cotter, director of the Walworth County Department of Land Use and Resource Management, who told The Gazette Live Nation submitted a business license application for 2018 – a permit needed from local officials each year.

Random Friday night question: (Outside of Bobby and Carter, who don’t really count) is Bela Fleck the only man to share a stage as a guest with Dave Matthews Band, Phish and Jerry Garcia? Is there anyone who has with DMB/Phish/GD (who was never ‘in’ one of the bands)? Some members of the almans with all, but not ever the same one, right?